Rob Walters, Three Rivers P.I.

Rob Walters isn’t a vigilante. But he doesn’t mind the term private investigator. Every week, he patrols up and down Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers in a flat bottom boat, just to make sure everything on the water is as it should be. Some days, it’s as simple as responding to a call from a local fisherman who’s found something dumped in his favorite fishing spot. Other times, he’s out to catch bigger fish. He doesn’t work for the EPA or any government agency. In fact, in his words, he’s sort of a “Plan B” for the government, when lack of manpower or politics muddy enforcement of the Clean Water Act.

LISTEN: “Rob Walters, Three Rivers P.I”

This story is part of our series of audio postcards exploring life on the Three Rivers. To check out the other stories in the "Our Three Rivers" series, click here. Read more about Rob and the Three Rivers Waterkeeper organization at threeriverswaterkeeper.org.

Lou has worked as a writer, reporter and radio producer for the past 10 years. He was The Allegheny Front's enterprise reporter in 2015 and is now its digital editor. His work has appeared on Here and Now, NPR's The Salt and Marketplace, and he is a semi-regular contributor to WHYY's health and science program, The Pulse. He now lives in Detroit.